“Do
not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they
may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” Matthew 7:6
Today’s
verse is part of a judgment that Christ actually approves of: using discernment
to distinguish unbelievers from believers.
I refer to that not as judging, but rather as being a fruit inspector.
There are those in this life who reject the gospel with
contempt. They have trampled under foot the pearls of wisdom that come from the
word of God. No judgment from us is
necessary for they have condemned themselves.
The word of God is sacred or holy in and of itself. It should not be given to dogs. How many times in your life have you shared
your faith and non-believers have used that against you? That’s because they have a faulty view and
understanding of what a Christian truly is.
The word Christian comes from a Greek word meaning little Christ. But being a Christian is so much more than
that. First, “it’s so others can
identify all who have placed their trust in Jesus for their salvation.
Secondly, Jesus’ actions show us the appropriate way to respond to God’s
blessing of salvation. Literally, to be
a Christian is to interact with God and others like Jesus did.”1
It should be fairly easy
to spot those who don’t practice the teachings of Christ. Not only do we have those who show disdain
for God and His word, we also have those who proclaim the name of Jesus or say
they believe in God yet don’t walk the
talk. Is it all right to judge these
folks? Yes; however, a gentle and humble
spirit is needed to deal with such individuals, for they do not see themselves
as lacking.
So what have we learned: 1) generally speaking, it’s wrong
to judge others, for we will be judged with the same judgment we have meted
out; 2) we should not continuously proclaim the gospel to those who show
contempt for it, for God will deal with them on the last day; and 3) there are
times when being a inspector
regarding the spiritual fruits of others is appropriate and actually
needed. Some folks will make the
corrections necessary, others will not, but that isn’t your concern. Offering correction with a gentle rather than
a prideful spirit can draw a person back to the path God has chosen for them.
Always remember from whence you came. Until
next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!
1 http://www.compellingtruth.org/what-is-a-Christian.html
